Gtcotr/ws032019
This
evening we continue our study of the Book of Titus. Just a short recap and a
little background that may help shine some light on the scriptures we will read
tonight.
The
exact year is questionable, but I put it at about 63/64AD. Titus and Timothy
were both disciples of the Apostle Paul and worked for him in the ministry.
They were both good for nothing men team members. I say this with the
consideration that they had not been hired and weren’t being paid as though
their ministry position was a job. These men were invited and felt called to
join themselves to the Apostle Paul and to the ministry Paul had received from
Jesus. They were disciples and as such they could expect to accompany and assist the Apostle on his
missionary journeys and to be sent out by him to preach and do ministry under
Paul’s guidance and governance.
Jesus
modeled this same pattern of team
ministry.
Mark 3:14 Then Jesus
appointed twelve, that they might be with Him and that He might send them out
to preach.
Jesus
did not hire employees, but rather He raised disciples. Disciples are spiritual sons and daughters of the ministry. Paul
had merely copied Jesus’ model. He took the Great Commission to go and make
disciples literally.
When
disciples were sent out to minister, they were given a task or a location or a
ministry to perform and expected to either provide for their own needs by
working when they could, or hopefully receive food and lodging from benevolent
men and women to whom they ministered along the way. Such was the case with the
Apostle Paul and with both Timothy and Titus. Paul admonished every missionary
to enter into the houses of those willing to accommodate us and eat whatever is
set before us without complaint.
Timothy
and Titus had been with the Apostle Paul in Rome when he was under arrest and
living in his own house awaiting audience with the Roman Caesar who would
hopefully be favorable to his appeal. At some point both Timothy and Titus were
given specific assignments by Paul. Titus was left on the Island of Crete to
help bring order to the Churches there while Timothy was sent to Ephesus to
assist the Church in that city. Paul however, traveled on to Greece and within
a few months he wrote letters to both of these men from there. These two
letters, which we now have as the NT Books of Titus and 1 Timothy, were written
at the same time, from the same place, to young men who were laboring to
accomplish the goals Paul had set for them. These are letters of instruction
and encouragement. We see similarities in these two letters, and they serve to
complement each other. Let’s pick up our study this evening with Titus 1:15.
Paul wrote:
15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those
who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and
conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know God, but in works they
deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good
work.
This
phrase has been used out of context to excuse and justify behavior God never
intended to be ok for His children to engage in. We must hold a standard of
correctly interpreting each verse of the Bible in light of the one-story God is
telling and in context with all of the other verses in the Bible. Simply put: We interpret scripture with scripture.
Paul
is not giving a license in verse 15 for the saints to do just anything their
soul desires and call it pure. Sin is sin without
regard as to whether you are Born-Again or not. However, for the sinner,
everything is sin. And, nowhere in the Bible is the Christian given some special
pass or license to commit sin without penalty.
From
further study we can see that verse 15 is evidently referring to the question
of eating things sacrificed to idols or things which were considered
ceremonially unclean under the law of Moses. In fact, this is one place where
comparing this verse with the contemporary writings of Paul to Timothy can help
to clarify this issue and the interpretation.
1 Timothy 4 NKJV
1 ¶ Now the Spirit expressly
says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to
deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
2 speaking lies in hypocrisy,
having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
3 forbidding to marry, and
commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with
thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is
good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
5 for it is sanctified by the
word of God and prayer.
6 ¶ If you instruct the
brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ,
nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have
carefully followed.
So
when Paul wrote to Titus that all things were pure to those who were pure of
heart, he was evidently talking about the much-considered question of that day
concerning the eating of some meats. Paul also addressed this subject with the
Corinthians as well. It was a big topic and Paul held that since there are no
other gods and that idols are empty beliefs, things sacrificed to them have no
special meaning.
However,
the concept of everything being impure or unclean to those who are not
Believers in Jesus is a strong statement that stands on its own.
Titus 1 NKJV
15 To the pure all things
are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but
even their mind and conscience are defiled.
16 They profess to know
God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and
disqualified for every good work.
Even
their thoughts are defiled and of a truth, unbelievers
are disqualified from serving in any capacity of leadership and ministry in and
for the Church. The principle of being unequally yoked together with
unbelievers, (2 Corinthians 6:14), is a strong admonition of the Lord both in
the Old and in the New Testaments. (Oxen and Asses by
Pastor Ron Hammonds, Unequal Yokes –
Deuteronomy 22:10)
Remember,
Paul is instructing Titus concerning how the Church should be structured to
have order, power, legitimacy and longevity. Church is
Team Ministry, and not everyone is qualified to play on or lead the
team. It’s not a matter of our conservative interpretation or intolerant point
of view, this truth is the clear intention of the whole counsel of God’s word
on qualifications for leadership within the Church.
Paul
continues … “But as for you Titus …”
Titus 2 NKJV
1 ¶ But as for you, speak the
things which are proper for sound doctrine:
2 that the older men be
sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
3 the older women likewise,
that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine,
teachers of good things —
4 that they admonish the
young women to love their husbands, to love their children,
5 to be discreet,
chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God
may not be blasphemed.
6 Likewise exhort the young
men to be sober-minded,
7 in all things showing
yourself to be a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing
integrity, reverence, incorruptibility,
8 sound speech that cannot be
condemned, that one who is an opponent may be ashamed, having nothing evil to
say of you.
9 Exhort bondservants
to be obedient to their own masters, to be well pleasing in all things,
not answering back,
10 not pilfering, but showing
all good fidelity, that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior in all
things.
